The Sunday News
Judith Phiri , Business Reporter
LEADING manufacturing firm, United Refineries Limited (URL) has introduced Roil Self Service Dispensers at various in-store locations around Bulawayo in a drive to help protect the environment by reducing plastic waste.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the company said customers could now fill up Roil cooking oil in supermarkets from a dispenser.
“You can now fill up on your favourite Roil cooking oil at various in-store locations at our Roil Self Service Dispensers. All you need is a clean and hygienic empty container and you fill up,” said URL.
“So join us in this #GreenInitiative, try it out at the following retail outlets, Lions Renkini, Lions Lobengula Street, Zapalala, Greens, Cooland and Oceans Belmont.”
In an explanatory video on how to use the dispenser, customers place their container under the nozzle, select quantity from options of 750 millilitres (ml), 2 litres (l) and 5l, they then press start, once filled they get a bar-code and stick it on the container and proceed to pay at the counter.
Commenting on the initiative, a customer, Munya Simango said: “This is an improvement from the system that was used a long time ago, way back in the 1970s. Shopkeepers used to order cooking oil in 20-litre metal containers and break the bulk using hand-operated pumps this allowed each customer to buy the volume that they could afford.”
On LinkedIn, Collin Banda said: “A step in the right direction as we push for all organisations to be profitable and sustainable. Sustainability also involves taking care of the environment that enables an organisation to be able to be productive. Well done United Refineries Limited.”
Another customer said the initiative was a great move, however, there was a need to address the spillage issue.
“Great innovation, but issue of spillage has to be addressed. What percent savings to the consumer will be achieved through recycling plastic container as opposed to getting pre-packed one? Is there a specific market being targeted? And what volumes are expected to be pushed through the dispensers in comparison to the pre-packed oil?” asked Dorcas Kambani.
A food technologist, Ms Isheunesu Masuku said the benefits of the initiative outweigh the drawbacks.
“Great initiative United Refineries Limited. Despite efforts to maintain hygiene, there is still a risk of contamination when multiple customers use the same dispenser, especially if proper cleaning procedures are not followed. However, I believe that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks and this is a great drive in sustainability and convenience,” she said.
Vimbai Mudzura said: “Perhaps reintroduce the 5l metal gallon or a new easy to clean sturdy vessel? Perhaps you’re on it already? It’s hard to keep the plastic one in good shape for refilling! Awesome move towards sustainable living. It can only get better. This is the start.”
In other countries the cooking oil self-service dispenser is also known as a cooking oil automated teller machine (ATM) used for dispensing liquid cooking oil, while some models have a capacity of 20 litres.
Others have a programmable logic control (PLC)/controller that performs all the technical functions of the machine such as resetting of the machine’s password, setting the prices, checking daily and weekly sales and processing the sales as per the customer’s purchase.
